Heat Pick Up Dragic’s Team Option, Decline Iguodala’s
The Heat have made two divergent decisions on two decorated NBA veterans who proved instrumental in their 2019/20 NBA Finals run.
Miami has decided to pick up its $19.4MM team option on veteran point guard Goran Dragic for the 2021/22 season, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Dragic, 35, has been with the Heat since midway through the 2014/15 season, and netted his lone All-Star appearance with the club in 2018. Dragic was also named to the 2014 All-NBA Third Team while with the Suns.
Picking up Dragic’s option does not necessarily mean he is guaranteed to stick with the Heat this summer. As Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes (via Twitter), his contract could be incorporated to help match salaries in a big-money trade.
Andre Iguodala, meanwhile, will be hitting the open market. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports (via Twitter) that the Heat will not pick up their $15MM player option on the final year of the extension Iguodala inked with the club after he was traded from Memphis to Miami in the 2019/20 season. The 37-year-old Iguodala was named the 2015 Finals MVP during his first of three championships with the Warriors, and also has an All-Star appearance, two All-Defensive Team selections, and an Olympic gold medal on his resume.
Exercising Dragic’s option likely means Miami will operate as an over-the-cap team, but Woj suggests (Twitter link) the club will still be a player in free agency, either by carving out cap space in another way or via sign-and-trades.
Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry, an unrestricted free agent this summer, remains among Miami’s most-desired free agent additions. Woj notes (via Twitter) that Dragic’s deal could be incorporated into a Lowry sign-and-trade with Toronto, while Marc Stein (Twitter link) refers to the Heat as the “favorite” to land Lowry and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets that Miami is a “very strong consideration” for the longtime Raptor.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link) observes, if the Heat could add Lowry via sign-and-trade, they’d still possess the $9.5MM full non-taxpayer’s midlevel exception to sign a quality free agent and would be in position to retain restricted free agent sharpshooter Duncan Robinson, who appears to be in line for a major raise.
Olympic Notes: Tatum, Durant, Holiday, P. Gasol
Team USA has one Olympic loss already and now that the medal round is here, another defeat would end its gold medal hopes. The Americans will face Spain in the quarterfinals and Celtics forward Jayson Tatum could be the key to advancing, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
Spain captured the FIBA World Cup in 2019, but Tatum played in just two games after being injured early in the tournament. He’s fully healthy now and has gotten over a slow start in the Olympics, scoring 27 points in Saturday’s rout of the Czech Republic.
“Our confidence never wavered,” said Tatum, whose team lost a pair of exhibition games in Las Vegas, then dropped its Olympic opener against France. “We understood that it wasn’t gonna be easy. We didn’t have our full team until four days ago, five days ago, so we knew that we had a lot of challenges ahead of us. And we also know that we would continue to get better every day. We would get better from each game, each practice, just the more time that we spent together, we were never going to be the same team, from day one, that we are now. And hopefully, we’re better this time next week than we were today.”
There’s more from Tokyo:
- Kevin Durant reached a milestone Saturday, passing Carmelo Anthony as Team USA’s all-time leading scorer in Olympic competition, Vardon adds in a separate story. Durant, who is seeking his third gold medal, now has 354 total points. “It is special to do something like that,” he said. “Scoring is something I worked on my whole career and something I’ve expanded my whole career, and being able to consistently do it is pretty cool.”
- The U.S. didn’t have a pure point guard until Jrue Holiday joined the team, says Jim Souhan of The Star Tribune. Holiday was busy with the playoffs during training camp and exhibition play and didn’t leave for Japan until after the Bucks’ championship parade. “His entry onto the team, late as it was, has had an immediate effect, because he garners so much respect from his teammates,” coach Gregg Popovich said.
- After undergoing surgery for a stress fracture in his left foot, Pau Gasol was determined not to let it end his career, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. The 41-year-old has battled back and is playing an important role for Spain. “I love the game,” Gasol said. “I wanted to finish my career playing. I had such an incredible, extraordinary career that I didn’t want the injury to finish it for me.”
Knicks Notes: Randle, Draft Night, Point Guards, Gibson
July 31 marked the trigger date for Julius Randle‘s contract guarantee, so the Knicks now owe him the full $19.8MM for next season, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. There was no suspense about whether New York would be willing to pay Randle that much in the wake of a career season that saw him win the Most Improved Player award and earn second-team All-NBA honors.
The real intrigue this offseason involves a four-year, $106MM+ extension that Randle is eligible to receive. The Knicks have plenty of incentive to sign him at that figure, as Randle could potentially make a lot more next summer as an unrestricted free agent, particularly if he puts together another All-NBA season. New York will have his Bird rights if that happens and can exceed the salary cap to re-sign him.
Randle joined the Knicks two years ago on a three-year, $63MM contract that carried just a $4MM guarantee for 2021/22. His game blossomed in New York, especially under new coach Tom Thibodeau, as he averaged 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per night while leading the team to the No. 4 seed in the East.
There’s more from New York:
- The Knicks’ decision to trade the 19th pick in this year’s draft to the Hornets for a heavily protected future selection was done to free up another $2.4MM for free agency, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post, citing an NBA executive who has talked to team president Leon Rose. New York never planned to use both of its first-round picks Thursday night and was happy to get Quentin Grimes and Miles McBride after trading down.
- Even if the Knicks can’t lure top targets Chris Paul and Kyle Lowry in free agency, they will have plenty of options at point guard, Berman adds. With more than $50MM in cap space, New York can outbid rival teams for Spencer Dinwiddie, Cameron Payne, Dennis Schroder or Reggie Jackson. Restricted free agent Lonzo Ball remains a possibility, but the Knicks saw him as a better fit in February than they do now, sources tell Berman. Re-signing Derrick Rose, a favorite of Thibodeau, remains on the table, although the front office is debating whether to make a long-term offer to Rose, who will turn 33 in October. The Bulls may get into the bidding for the Chicago native.
- Saturday’s decision to waive backup center Norvel Pelle increases the chances that Taj Gibson will be back on the roster next season, Berman states in a separate story. A source told Berman the Knicks would consider re-signing Pelle at some point during the season if injuries leave them needing help in the middle.
QO Roundup: Perry, Stanley, Brantley, Forrest, Coffey
The Nets will extend a qualifying offer to power forward Reggie Perry, tweets Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype. The 57th pick in the 2020 draft, Perry was acquired in a trade with the Clippers and earned a two-way contract as a rookie. He appeared in 26 games last season, averaging 3.0 points and 2.8 rebounds per night.
Because Perry was a two-way player with just one season in Brooklyn, his qualifying offer is limited to one year with a $50K guarantee. The QO means he will be restricted, giving the Nets the right to match any offer when free agency starts Monday.
There are a few more qualifying offers to round up:
- Cassius Stanley received a QO from the Pacers, according to J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). The shooting guard was also a rookie two-way player, so his offer is subject to the same terms as Perry’s. Stanely got into 24 games, averaging 1.5 PPG.
- The Jazz extended qualifying offers to Jarrell Brantley and Trent Forrest, tweets Tony Jones of The Athletic. Brantley, a power forward, averaged 2.3 points and 1.0 rebounds in 28 games in his second NBA season, while Forrest, a rookie point guard, appeared in 30 games, averaging 2.9 points and 1.5 assists per night. Both are two-way players.
- The Clippers made a qualifying offer to Amir Coffey, according to Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). The second-year shooting guard, also on a two-way contract, got into 44 games, averaging 3.2 PPG and 1.0 RPG.
Free Agency Rumors: Lowry, Dragic, Ball, Lakers, DeRozan, McGee
Miami is a legitimate option for Raptors guard Kyle Lowry in free agency, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. A source tells Reynolds that the Heat “have his attention and have had it for a while.”
Lowry will be among the top point guards on the market when free agency begins Monday, with the Pelicans, Mavericks and Sixers all likely to be heavily involved. Toronto may also make a strong bid to hang onto Lowry, who has been with the organization since 2012.
There are plenty of rumors on the eve of free agency:
- Many teams are expected to be interested in veteran guard Goran Dragic if the Heat turn down their $19.4MM team option and make him a free agent, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Charania doesn’t identify any of the potential suitors, but says they include “several NBA title and postseason contenders.” Miami has a deadline of 5:00pm Eastern Time today to reach a decision on Dragic, along with a $15MM option on Andre Iguodala.
- William Guillory and John Hollinger of The Athletic break down sign-and-trade possibilities for the Pelicans involving Lonzo Ball. The Bulls, Pacers, Clippers, Celtics and Wizards are all mentioned as potential sign-and-trade partners.
- Dwight Howard could return to the Lakers to provide help at center, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times suggests in a free agent roundtable on both L.A. teams. Howard helped the Lakers win a title in 2020 before signing with the Sixers last offseason. Turner names Patty Mills, Wayne Ellington, Trevor Ariza, Carmelo Anthony, Jeff Green, Iguodala, and Dragic as other possible targets. The Clippers may pursue DeMar DeRozan if he’s willing to take a pay cut, Andrew Greif states in the same piece.
- JaVale McGee would “definitely” consider returning to the Nuggets, stating that a chance to win will be his priority in free agency, as Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post details.
Scotto’s Latest: Markkanen, Noel, Raptors, Pistons, L. Williams
The Bulls and Lauri Markkanen are open to working out a sign-and-trade deal that would send him to a new team, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Chicago issued Markkanen a qualifying offer this week that will ensure he’s a restricted free agent, giving the team some leverage in negotiations.
Scotto identifies the Timberwolves – who have long been on the hunt for a power forward – as one team to watch as a possible sign-and-trade destination for Markkanen. The Spurs and Thunder are also among the teams with Markkanen on their radar, per Scotto. San Antonio and Oklahoma City would have the cap flexibility necessary to issue Markkanen an offer sheet without giving up an asset in a sign-and-trade if they’re confident Chicago won’t match.
Here are a few more updates on free agency from Scotto:
- Following a strong season in New York, free agent big man Nerlens Noel is expected to draw interest from the Raptors, Knicks, Pistons, and Kings, writes Scotto.
- The Raptors and Pistons should have a little cap flexibility and will likely look to the free agent market to address the center position. Scotto reiterates that Jarrett Allen and Richaun Holmes are on Toronto’s radar, and names Kelly Olynyk as a potential Detroit target. Some people around the league believe Olynyk will end up signing a deal worth $10-12MM per year, Scotto adds.
- Despite mutual interest in a new deal between the Hawks and Lou Williams, the three-time Sixth Man of the Year will receive interest from other clubs, including the Pacers and Bucks, says Scotto. Williams is seeking a multiyear deal.
Rockets Extend Qualifying Offer To Anthony Lamb
Anthony Lamb has received a qualifying offer from the Rockets, tweets Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Because Lamb is a two-way player, his QO will carry a $50K guarantee, and it will make him restricted heading into free agency.
Lamb went to training camp with the Pistons last year, but was waived before the season began. He signed with Houston in early March and appeared in 24 games, making three starts and averaging 5.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per night.
A 6’6″ small forward, Lamb played for both the Canton Charge and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the G League bubble this year. He was named the league’s Most Improved Player.
Earlier today, the Rockets tendered a qualifying offer to Armoni Brooks, so both of their two-way players have been addressed. However, the team also reportedly agreed to a two-way deal with undrafted rookie Matthew Hurt, so it appears unlikely that both Brooks and Lamb will return unless one is promoted to the 15-man roster.
Armoni Brooks Receives Qualifying Offer From Rockets
The Rockets have made a qualifying offer to Armoni Brooks, tweets Kelly Iko of The Athletic. The offer means Brooks will be restricted when free agency begins on Monday.
The 23-year-old shooting guard signed a two-way contract with Houston in early April. He averaged 11.2 points in 20 games, starting five times, and proved to be an effective three-point threat, connecting at 38.2% from behind the arc.
Brooks played three seasons in the G League after going undrafted out of the University of Houston in 2019. He posted a 16.8/3.7/3.3 line this season with Rio Grande Valley, the Rockets’ G League affiliate.
Because Brooks was a two-way player with just one season in Houston, he received a one-year, two-way qualifying offer with a $50K guarantee.
Serge Ibaka Opting In For 2021/22 Season
Clippers center/power forward Serge Ibaka will exercise his player option for next season, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Ibaka, 31, will make $9.7MM next season before becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2022. He signed a two-year, $19MM contract last November that included the player option in the second season.
Ibaka’s first season in L.A. was marred by injuries that limited him to 41 games during the regular season and two brief appearances in the playoffs. He was the starting center before back issues derailed his year, averaging 11.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per night.
The decision by Ibaka virtually eliminates any thoughts the Clippers may have entertained about using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception this offseason, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The Clippers, of course, are still waiting on another big player option decision, as Kawhi Leonard will have to decide whether to opt into a $36MM+ salary. Despite his ACL injury, the expectation is that Leonard will turn down his option to sign a more lucrative – and perhaps a longer-term – deal with Los Angeles.
Jarred Vanderbilt, Jordan McLaughlin Get QOs From Wolves
The Timberwolves have made qualifying offers to Jarred Vanderbilt and Jordan McLaughlin, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Both players will be restricted heading into free agency.
Minnesota has full Bird rights on Vanderbilt and Early Bird rights on McLaughlin, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). The Wolves are currently $7.9MM away from the luxury tax, including a first-round hold for Leandro Bolmaro, who may join the team next season.
Vanderbilt, a 22-year-old power forward, is coming off his most productive NBA season, averaging 5.4 points and 5.8 rebounds while starting 30 of the 64 games that he played. He was acquired from the Nuggets in a four-team trade in February of 2020.
McLaughlin, a 25-year-old point guard, appeared in 51 games this season, averaging 5.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per night. He has been a two-way player for the Wolves the past two years.